Maternity skirt



y 9, 1939- E. H. GLOVER 2,157,932

MATERNITY SKIRT Filed. Aug. 23, 1938 Patented May 9, i939 arran e Mn'rnnnrry snrn'r Eloise Hopkins Glover, Sanford, N. it Application August 23, 19st, serial No. 226,952

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This invention relates to improvements in that class of invention known as apparel and more particularly relates to a maternity skirt.

It is the primary aim and object of this invention to provide a nether garment such as a skirt or slacks of the above character which is constructed to smoothly fit the wearer and is adjustable at the waist so that it will be comfortable at all times, in addition to being neat in appearance.

More particularly, the invention consists in the provision of a garment of the above character including a waist encircling portion 'which carries the back portion and which acts as an abdominal supporter and a front portion secured at its marginal edges to the marginal edges of the back portion of the skirt from a point below the hips to the hem, with the upper part free to serve as a flap to close and cover the lacing or other adjustable fastening of the waist encircling portion. 4a

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of a. garment of the above character in which the front of the garment is preferably constructed in a single panel while the upper portion thereof or flap and the waist encircling portion are provided with means whereby the flap may be secured in various positions of adjustment.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and described in the claims forming a part of the specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved nether garment with the waist encircling or girdle portion fastened and with the flap open;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the improved nether garment;

Figure 3 is an elevational detail of the waist encircling portion and the back of the garment in extended position prior to the securing of the front panel, and

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the front panel of the garment per se.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views to indicate the corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawing, there is provided an improved garment which includes a body or waist encircling portion i which may be suitably darted at the back as at 2, while suitable means are employed for fastening the front edges together such as eyelets i which are engaged with suitable lacing t. The waist-encircling portion is wide enough to extend from the waist to a point below the abdomen. The waist encircling portion carries a back portion 5. In addition there is provided a belt t at the upper edge of the waist encircling portion which is fitted with metal eyelets l on opposite sides near the front for purposes that will presently appear. A front panel t is now provided and is secured along its marginal edges by stitches ii to the marginal edges of the back 5, the stitches 9 extending from the bottom to a point in proximity to the hips while the extreme upper portion of the panel constitutes a flap it to serve as a cover or closure for the front part of the waist encircling portion and it is to be particularly noted that the upper edge ii is curved upwardly and belted so as to make a proper waist line at all times when the hooks l2 carried by the inner surface of the upwardly curved and belted edge ii near the sides thereof are secured in the desired metal eyelets l on the belt t.

Attention is directed to the fact that the waist encircling portion l which may extend downwardly to a point below the abdomen forms a girdle or an abdominal supporter, the lacing t permitting extension or spacing of the meeting edges to the desired extent required by the wearer during the various stages of pregnancy, while the flap t cooperates therewith in forming a neat and tidy closure. When the garment is in its fully extended position the lacing assumes a V-shaped configuration and the upwardly curved edge M will be positioned at the natural waistline and completely cover the lacing t.

It is believed in view of the foregoing that a further detailed description of the invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent It is to be borne in mind that the present invention may be applied to slacks or trousers as well as skirts.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters Patent is:

1. A nether garment of the character de- I scribed, comprising a waist-encircling portion, a back carried thereby, adjustable means for connecting the waist-encircling portion in the front, a front portion having its marginal edges secured to the marginal edges of the back from a point near the hips to the bottom of the garment,

leaving the upper part free to serve as a flap for covering the adjustable connection of the waistencircling portion, said flap being provided with an upwardly curved upper edge and means for detachably and adjustably securing the corners or the flap to the waist-encircling portion, the upwardly curved upper edge of the flap gradually descending to the normal waist line of the wearer as the abdomen becomes larger, the lower portion of the garment retaining its normal shape.

2. A nether garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the waist-encircling portion extends vertically from the waist lineto a point below the abdomen whereby the waist-encircling portion constitutes a girdle for supporting the abdomen.

3. A nether garment as claimed in claim 1,

ELOISE HOPKINS GDOVER. 

